Takoyaki Maker

We've had a Takoyaki Maker for a while now but totally forgot about it until a few days ago when Sota kept saying "I wanna make takoyaki" (influenced by watching Anpanman cartoon). So today we made takoyaki(octopus fritters).

Sota knows the difference between what's hot and dangerous so we let him help us add the ingredients and turn the fritters.

It was good to see Sota having fun cause til then, I thought that the purchase of the Takoyaki Maker was a mistake...the one we have is a cheap one where the pan can't be removed to wash and it takes up alot of room when you wanna put it away. But the Takoyaki Maker can also be used to make other stuff and since it makes so many at once, it can be frozen which will proabably be good for when Sota starts school and needs to bring lunch.


Here's a site with recipes for the Takoyaki Maker (only in Japanese)→http://www.geocities.jp/oishiicamp/campdeko-suryuu/takoyakimeijinn/takoyakimeijin1.html


Takoyaki Mix and Takoyaki Maker's (cheap ones are for about 1000 Yen) are sold at supermarkets so if you like takoyaki, why not get a Takoyaki maker - it can be a fun party activity.

Rice Krispie Treats

Lately, Sota's been into eating marshmallows which reminded me of my childhood and the rice krispie treats I made/eat with my mom.

The normal Rice Krispies is hard to find in Japan but the chocolate krispies is pretty much in any cereal aisle and you can pretty much find a small(110g) bag of marshmallows for about 100 Yen anywhere.

So, as you probably already know...to make these treats, melt 1tbsp butter and bag of marshmallow together (be careful so it doesn't burn). Once marshmallow is totally melted turn off the heat and pour in 3.5 cups of the krispies and mix together quickly. Press mixture into a buttered pan, let cool and cut!

It's so easy & soo good that I'm definitely gonna make it again.

*The only thing about this recipe is that the melted marshmallow is pretty much glues to the pan so it's hard to wash! (LOL)

Sushiro

A fun lunch place to go is Sushiro, a rotating sushi restaurant.
It was Sota's first time and he seemed to have a lot of fun!

All the plates are 100 yen, so the parents can let the kids eat whatever they want without worrying about the price.

They also have udon in the menu, in case your child can't eat raw fish.
Another family friendly reason is that they have a few tables connected to the conveyor belt.

Weekends are crowded with families so go early or for a late lunch to avoid waiting.
http://www.akindo-sushiro.co.jp/

PEACE TOKYO

PEACE TOKYO is a cafe along the Tamagawa River. The best seat for families is the terrace where there's a stream right in front of the cafe. Mommies can lunch while the kids play in the stream or run around on the grass.
But don't forget hats and sunblock cause you'll be sitting in the sun.

PEACE is only open for a limited time, April til November.

I recommend the Mussels in white wine...along with the baguette.

Today, we also tried the four cheese pizza and ragu fettuccine.

It was kaito's first time to play in the river & he loved it.

This is a great Tokyo spot to enjoy good food & nature with your kids!

PEACE TOKYO

http://peacetokyo.com/indexpc.html

(Japanese site only)

Shinagawa's Ramen Theme Park

We recently went to "Shinatatsu" - the Ramen theme park consisting of 7 famous Ramen shops in Shinagawa. It's about a minute walk from Shinagawa St.'s Takanawa exit.

The entrance has a flight of stairs (about 10 steps) so you have to carry your stroller but otherwise there's slopes inside to get to the shops.

Out of the many choices, we went to "Setagaya" (same as the one in NYC) and ordered the Setagaya Ramen and the Gyoro Ramen.

If you like fatty ramen ...Gyoro Ramen is the bowl to have! It has tons of pork fat bits floating in the soup but lots of veggies to balance it out. I'm craving it already.

Anyway, since most ramen shops are small and not very stroller or kid friendly, I would recommend Shinatatsu cause the shop was very spacious
http://www.shinatatsu.com/
(Japanese site only)

BTW, for diaper changing, etc., do it at the station or Takanawa Wing EAST which is right next door.

Harajuku YAO

Went to a friend's son's 2nd B-day party.

It was a cozy little party with 5 families at Yao, a cafe that's about 10 minutes from Harajuku Station.

The food was great and fun cause the course they ordered was a wrap party course...you were able to make your own tortilla wraps with your favorite filling (chicken, fried shrimp, salmon, veggies, different sauces, etc). The ambience was a very comforting one, making me want to go back for a relaxing lunch with maybe a glass of wine.

And obviously, as it was a kid's party, the cafe was kid friendly so if you're in the area perhaps stop by for lunch or coffee.

http://www.cporganizing.com/yao/

(Japanese site only)

celeb de tomato @ futakotamagawa

Celeb de Tomato opened a store in Futakotamagawa's Takashimaya (9th floor)!

It's bigger than the one in Daikanyama and since it's in a department store, you can easily change diapers, or use the nursing room.　Futakotamagawa is a very baby friendly area that at this particular Celeb de Tomato, they give kids tomato juice free of charge!　No additives so kaito was gulping down each spoonful!
I love to order the tasting plate that allows you to taste 4 different kinds of tomato juice.　

The salad and pasta lunch course is also recommended and reasonable as it includes dessert and coffee (Courses start from 1500 Yen).　You can also buy some tomato juice to bring home!


The 5th floor of Futakotamagawa's Takashimaya main building has a big baby lounge with a space that allows you to feed your kid.　With the rainy season coming up, hanging out in the department store would be a good way to spend a rainy day.

＜celeb de tomato＞
http://www.celeb-de-tomato.com/

breakfast at 'bills'

New York Times claimed "bills" to be the world's best breakfast place and it opened in Yokohama too!

kaito's 1st short trip was to bills in Shichirigahama.

The entrance at bills has a bunch of stairs so be careful if you go on your own with a stroller. Also, the bathroom is small so you won't easily be able to change diapers. Going by car is best. But, I'm sure the bills that opened in Akarenga, Yokohama won't be like that.

If you get the chance to go to bills, the Ricotta cheese pancakes is a MUST! Don't even think about sharing, 1 plate per person!
You can chose your own toppings for the scrambled eggs.

Afterwards, we walked around Kamakura and bought 'Hatosabure" cookies to take home.
Enjoying a yummy breakfast while watching the ocean at bills in Kamakura is totally worth getting up early in the morning! Can't wait to check out the one in Yokohama!

http://bills-jp.net/

Omotesando's Maisen

Maisen, known for their Pork cutlet, is delicious and very kid-friendly.

Lunch is about 1000 Yen (with free refills of rice /cabbage) and is very filling that you can share with you child.

Be sure to call and reserve the zashiki(floor seats) so you can let the babies/kids roam around.

http://mai-sen.com/

Aoyama: BENOIT → Children's Castle

It's ok to splurge on lunch once in awhile...right?

Well, BENOIT - a French bistrot produced by Alain Ducasse, is a kid friendly cafe that lets you enjoy a course starting at 2000 Yen.

And the menu will change from April 15th making it a little easier to order (price-wise).


The day I went, we celebrated a friend's b-day so we ordered a birthday cake which can be made from 2000 Yen.

BENOIT
http://www.benoit-tokyo.com/en/index.html

BENOIT's food is fabulous but the location is also perfect cause right across the street is "Kodomo no Shiro - Children's Castle".

So after mommy is full and happy, next is the baby's turn.
"Children's Castle" has a 500 Yen entrance fee but the kids can play all they want there and with their facilities you don't have to worry about changing diapers and breastfeeding. (They have weekday passes for 3000 Yen which is good for 1 year)
.
kaito's favorite room was the music floor. They had a space that was ok for babies to crawl around in so babies who don't walk yet can enjoy it too. Samba time was today's special event so kaito was mixed in with the older kids dancing the samba. He loved playing the piano too.

National Children's Castle
http://www.kodomono-shiro.or.jp/english/

A perfect day to spend the day in Aoyama,which keeps both the mommy and baby in smiles. You might even be able to shop if your child falls asleep after such an eventful day.

Chinatown → HOTEL NEW GRAND → Yamashita Park

Another one of our favorite locations by Chinatown is HOTEL NEW GRAND.

Instead of eating in one of the restaurants in Chinatown, just walk thru and enjoy the atmosphere while perhaps eating a 'Nikuman'. Then walk over to the Hotel.

The main tower (not the new tower) is what I recommend cause Napolitana Spaghetti was created at this hotel and it can be enjoyed at "The Cafe" on the 1st floor. You can overlook Yamashita Park while enjoying your dish.

After a nice relaxing lunch, you can then enjoy a walk in Yamashita Park. You can see the seagulls and huge boats upclose. The cherry blossoms are beautifull this time of year.

If you decide to go by car, you should park at the Yamashita Park Parking and then walk around Chinatown→HOTEL NEW GRAND→Yamashita Park.

http://www.hotel-newgrand.co.jp/english/index.html

Chinatown's Santon

Went to Yokohama's Chinatown to try "Santon"'s boiled dumplings with the famous coconut sauce.
The restaurant was a whole in the wall but the dumplings were just as good as I expected.
A must-have for coconut lovers!

http://www.chinatown.or.jp/index.html
(unfortunately there is no official site in English)

Harajuku Eggs'n Things

Eggs'n Things from Hawaii has finally come to Japan!!

http://www.eggsnthingsjapan.com/